Search and find toy

ABSTRACT

A search and find toy. A toy includes at least top cover and a bottom cover that are connected together to form a cavity therein. The cavity is filled with a fill that includes pellets and items such as plastic miniatures and other trinkets. The covers are usually permanently sealed such that the fill is trapped in the cavity. A user searches for the items hidden among the pellets through a window in one of the covers.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication Ser. No. 60/542,730, filed on Feb. 6, 2004, which isincorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. The Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to toys. More particularly, the presentinvention relates to a search and find toy.

2. Background and Relevant Art

Toys are a part of practically every child's life and children are ableto play with a wide variety of toys. Toys can be used to develop achild's perception, memory, language concepts, thinking, and problemsolving ability. Toys can be used to increase sensory motor skills.Unfortunately, children often have short attention spans and can becomequickly bored by the same type of toys. Children need toys that intrigueand challenge them. Toys can be expensive and people that purchase toysshould expect a toy that can hold a child's attention. In addition,there is a need for toys that are not associated with violence.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order to describe the manner in which the advantages and features ofthe invention can be obtained, a more particular description of theinvention briefly described above will be rendered by reference tospecific embodiments thereof which are illustrated in the appendeddrawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only typicalembodiments of the invention and are not therefore to be considered tobe limiting of its scope, the invention will be described and explainedwith additional specificity and detail through the use of theaccompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates is an expanded perspective view of one embodiment ofthe invention that illustrates a top cover having a window and a bottomcover;

FIG. 2 illustrates one example of fill that includes pellets and items;

FIG. 3 illustrates a top view of a search and find toy;

FIG. 4 illustrates a bottom view of the search and find toy shown inFIG. 3;

FIG. 5 illustrates a card identifying the items in the search and findtoy of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 illustrates items included with pellets in a toy;

FIG. 7 illustrates the pellets hiding the items in a search and findtoy;

FIG. 8 illustrates a close view of items included with pellets inside ofa search and find toy; and

FIG. 9 illustrates a cross section of a search and find toy thatincludes a fill bag.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention relates to toys and more particularly to a searchand find toy. Embodiments of the toy provide quiet entertainment.Embodiments of the invention can be easily carried in a bag or carriedby a child, for example.

FIG. 1 illustrates an expanded perspective view of one embodiment of atoy 100. The toy 100 includes a top cover 101 and a bottom cover 103.The top cover 101 has been separated from the bottom cover 103 in thisexample. During manufacture of the toy 100, the top cover 101 isconnected to the bottom cover 103 by sewing the covers together. Thecovers 101 and 103 can also be secured using other connectors such as anadhesive, and the like. In another embodiment, at least one side of thetoy 100 may be connected using a connector that can be both opened andclosed by a user, such as by a zipper. Typically, however, the top cover101 and the bottom cover 103 are permanently connected together suchthat material placed inside of the toy 100 remains inside of the toy100. Both the top cover 101 and the bottom cover 103 are typically madefrom a material or other fabric or other pliable material. In thisexample, the top cover 101 and bottom cover 103 are made from fleece.The selected material or fabric can have any pattern, color or theme. Inanother embodiment, at least one of the covers may be more rigid.

During manufacture, the toy 100 is usually filled with a fill before thetop cover is sealed or fully connected with the bottom cover. Forexample, FIG. 2 illustrates one embodiment of a fill 200 that may beplaced in a cavity formed between the top cover and the bottom coverwhen connected. The fill 200 includes poly pellets 201 or other smallbeads in this example. The pellets 201 are typically non-toxic and semiclear to opaque in appearance. This makes it easy to distinguish betweenthe pellets and the other items. However, there is no requirement on theappearance of the pellets. The fill 200 also includes small plasticitems 202. The plastic items 202 include, but are not limited to,plastic miniatures, buttons, and other objects or trinkets that can beincluded with the pellets 201. Typically, more pellets 201 are includedin the fill than items 202. This enables the items 202 to “hide” amongthe pellets when the fill is placed inside the toy 100. After the fill200 is placed in the cavity of the toy 100 formed by the covers 101 and103, the top cover 101 is sealed with the bottom cover 103 such that thefill 200 does not spill out, but is trapped inside the toy 100. The topcover 101 also includes a window 102 that is formed, in this example,from a transparent material such as plastic or clear vinyl. The window102 may also be sewn or otherwise permanently connected with the topcover 101. The window 102 permits a user to see inside the toy and viewthe fill 200 and/or the items 202.

Once the toy 100 is assembled, the items 202 are effectively hiddenamong the pellets 201. As previously stated, the top and bottom covers101 and 103 are formed from a material like fleece or other fabric.Using this type of material enables a user to bend twist or otherwisemanipulate the toy. A user typically tries to manipulate the toy in amanner such that the user can search for the items 202 that are mixed inwith the pellets 201. A list of the items 202 is typically included withthe toy 100 such that the user can identify the items being searched forthrough the window. The toy can be used as if it were a treasure huntand a user is searching among the pellets for the various treasure.

When the top cover 101 is sealed with the bottom cover 103 using aconnector such as a zipper or other resealable connector that can beopened by a user, the fill 200 may be placed in another sealed bag toprevent the fill 200 from spilling. This means that the fill from onetoy can be interchanged with the fill from another toy and a user cansearch for new items. Fill bags can be developed using themes such asChristmas items, or Halloween items, and the like. Themes associatedwith books, television shows, and the like can also be used for theitems 202. Fill bags are typically made of a transparent material andare also flexible such that the fill can be manipulated by a child. Thechild can shift the contents of the toy 100 such that the items and fillmove around. As the items and fill move around the items are exposed or“found” by the child. An example of a fill bag is shown in FIG. 9, whichis a cross section of a toy including a fill bag. One of skill in theart can appreciate that the fill bag is not required but that the filland the items can simply be enclosed within the top and bottom covers ofthe toy. In this Figure, the toy 900 encloses a fill bag 902. The fillbag 902 is filled with pellets or other fill and items described above.The toy 900 has a zipper or other connecter that enables the user toremove and insert fill bags inside the toy 900.

FIG. 3 illustrates a top view of a toy 300. The top cover of the toy 300includes a window 302 through which the fill can be seen. A card 301accompanies the toy 300 and is a list that identifies the items that areincluded in the fill and that the user can find by searching through thefill by manipulating the toy while looking through the window 302. Auser shifts the fill around inside the toy 300 in order to exposedifferent areas or different portions of the fill. As the user shiftsthe fill around, the items are exposed and “found”.

FIG. 4 illustrates a bottom cover 303 of the toy 300 shown in FIG. 3.FIG. 5 illustrates an example of the card 301. The card 301, aspreviously stated, identifies each item that is hidden among thepellets. FIG. 6 illustrates some of the items that are hidden in thepellets of a toy 600. In FIG. 6, items 604, 606, and 608 are seenthrough the window 610. The pellets 602 are also illustrated. A closerview of the items 604, 608, and 606 is shown in FIG. 8. Item 604, forexample, is a miniature Christmas ornament, item 608 is a miniaturebook, and item 606 is a small clover. FIG. 7 is another perspective viewof the toy shown in FIGS. 6 and 8. In FIG. 7, the items illustrated inFIGS. 6 and 8 are hidden from view among the pellets 602. Only thepellets 602 are clearly seen through the window. As previouslydescribed, a user can manipulate the toy to find the items that appearin the window as the pellets are moved by a user.

The toy can have various dimensions. A small toy may be 4 inches wide by4 inches wide with a circular window having a diameter of 3 inches.Alternatively, a toy may be 10 inches by 10 inches with a window havinga dimension of 8 inches. One of skill in the art can appreciate thatsmaller dimensions or larger dimensions are possible. As the dimensionsincrease, however, the amount of fill may also increases. The number ofitems in a particular toy can also vary and there is no requirement thateach toy have a certain ratio of items to pellets.

The search and find toy of the present invention can be of any shape.The Figures illustrate a square shaped toy with a circular window formedor included in one of the covers. However, the search and find toy canbe square, round, triangle shaped, star shaped, or any other shape. Thesearch and find toy can be shaped like another toy, a character from abook, movie, television show, etc. The toy can thus have, in addition toa top cover and a bottom cover, other side pieces, depending on theshape of the toy. In each case, at least one window to the inside of thetoy is provided such that the user can search for the hidden itemsincluded with the fill. The window can be of clear plastic or vinyl, forexample. The window can also be of any shape and size. In addition, atop cover may include two windows of the same or different shapes(stars, circles, squares, triangles, hearts, or any other shape) insteadof a single window. Also, a window may also be included on the bottomcover.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms withoutdeparting from its spirit or essential characteristics. The describedembodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrativeand not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicatedby the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. Allchanges which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of theclaims are to be embraced within their scope.

1. A toy comprising: a first cover formed from a material, the firstcover having a first edge; a window formed in the first cover; a secondcover having a second edge, wherein the first edge is permanentlyconnected with the second edge such that a cavity is bounded by thefirst cover and the second cover; and a fill that includes pellets anditems, the fill being placed in the cavity such that the fill can beseen through the window.